


And the Stars Swam

by Mourshkin



Series: Lives Made Into Song [4]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Anzanulbizar, Being tough, Can't spell it, Ered Luin, F/M, Female Dwarves - Freeform, Going off to war, Shamelessly steal plot from folk songs, Young Love, mining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 17:51:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4147173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mourshkin/pseuds/Mourshkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Strong, young, handsome and devoted to his family. Dori is a good catch for any dwarf but even this cannot counter the draw of war, of glory and victory. And Dori finds he is left behind as his heart goes where he cannot follow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And the Stars Swam

**Author's Note:**

> This story came from the song Bonny Woodhall, which is very sad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Jb2IgCbWw

Her hand was rough as the mountain's face and as strong as the mountain's roots. Dori closed his eyes and squeezed Ani's hand, finally letting his coal-dust stained face settle into a smile. They lay side by side in their own secluded valley, so high in the mountain that you could see nothing but sky and no one could see you. Up here, Dori could relax. No sick mother to care for, no errant brothers and no responsibilities.

Beside him, Ani laughed her rough sideways laugh and Dori felt her turn onto her side, felt her gaze study him.

'That's the first time I've seen you smile for some time Ri, you should do it more, it suits you. You're almost handsome.'

Dori barked with laughter and rolled to face her.

'Almost!? Didn't you say the other day I looked like a diamond among gravel compared to any other dwarf!'

Ani's face twisted into a smirk.

'Well..a rough diamond maybe, you could do with a clean up anyway.'

Dori reached out a hand and wiped a smudge of coal-dust from her cheek. Long shifts in the mine shaft always left them with black grimed into every part of them. But the two dwarves didn't mind a bit. The work was hard, they were two of the strongest workers and as such were always given the toughest jobs, the hardest seams to mine. But the pay kept Dori's family fed and clothed and that was not something to complain about.

'Your frown is back again.'

Dori sighed and tried to rearrange his face but before he could, a strong arm was around his waist and he was pulled with a yelp onto top of Ani who cackled at his useless struggling.

'Ani! Put me down! I'm not a dwarfling!

'Well if you insist on sighing like a grey-beard in his 300th year, I have to do something to wrest you back into your senses! Come on then, grey-beard if you want to be put down - make me!'

Dori grinned and threw his weight sideways so they rolled until their positions were reversed. The pair wrestled and rolled without either one winning, until they both fell back panting and Dori didn't feel like sighing anymore.

They stayed there until the stars began to pierce the growing dark and chill seeped into the secluded glen. Again, Dori thought of his responsibilities.

'It's late, I should go back. Amad will be worrying and Nori never sleeps properly unless I tuck him in.'

He tried to sit, but a rough hand grasped his, willing him to stay. Without thinking, he lay back down and looked back at the stars.

'They're recruiting again.'

Dori's breath hitched and suddenly the blood in his ears was a roaring river.

'You said you wouldn't.'

'But we're winning Dori, this is the last push. The final battle. Right at the gates of Khazad Dum!'

Ani's voice thrilled as she talked of the glory and victory, the revenge of dwarves against the defilers. Dori felt the determination in what she said and could not bring himself to plead, instead he said-

'If you go, I'm going with you.'

Ani breathed in sharply.

'Dori, no! What if you were killed! Your amad, your brothers, they need you.'

He knew what she said was true. He was tied by a short cord to his family and always would be. But wasn't Ani tied to him?

'You could be killed too' he replied with desperate petulance, 'and I need you!'

'Oh Dori, once I'm back...'

But she didn't finish her sentence, only clung to his hand and the stars swam in tears above their heads.


End file.
